The Tip of the Iceberg on What makes Me Who I am

I was raised in an environment where I was encouraged to create and wonder. When I was little I discovered a love for painting, Mozart, and reading. I was one of those happy, permanently smiling kids and still am.  Then at 8 years old, I went from living in San Juan with my parents and little brother to living in Guayama with my mother and brother because my parents got divorced. No, I don’t let that define me or who I am. I cannot say that it didn’t affect me but I can say that it made me strong and independent. Once I graduated from high school I moved into my father’s apartment where I currently live while I complete my bachelor’s degree.

 Last May I had one of the best experiences of my life. I volunteered at a 4 day camp called “Campamento Sin Paredes”. This camp is a little different because the volunteer is paired up with a person who is handicapped and becomes their hands and feet. I love helping people, it’s something that I am extremely passionate about but being at that camp helped me just as much as it helped the girl that I was paired up with, Alexandra. I left that camp with a whole new perspective on life. I left realizing that a lot of the things I’d tend to  stress over aren’t worth it and that  I must  be  grateful for everything  I have, like legs and feet that work. I grew as a person during those 4 days more than I could in 6 months. I now have new found heroes in my life that I proudly call my extended family. That is one of the greatest things that make me who I am today.

Unfortunately, when I look around I sometimes see that society wants me to be something I’m not. People put too much energy into the wrong issues. Thankfully it’s not always nor is it by most of the people close to me but I’m at times encouraged to be sexist, homophobic, and just downright judgmental. So, I often find it sort of shocking when realize how blind people are and want to be about these topics. I want to make a difference when it comes to that and break the mold. I cannot just sit quiet and look pretty. I like to speak up.

I like to think that my story is colorful and beautiful because its mine. I am an artist, a bookworm, a risk taker, a feminist, a pacifist, an optimist, and an old soul. I’m 18 years old and I can say I love who I am.